They changed the parameters of the ORs at my hospital.

Before, the low end of the temperature was 66 degrees Fahrenheit and the high end was 72 degrees.

But now…

The temperature STARTS at 68 and ends at 75.

For a surgical team huddled close together, wearing non-breathable gowns, sometimes working in high-stakes situations, this is too hot.

I said it.

I don’t get either hot or cold in the OR. Never have. As an aside, there is a reason I don’t take baths. Yes, that is out of left field. But there is an explanation for the curve ball. I don’t take baths because my blood pressure drops, and, as someone whose systolic is usually 100-105, a drop of 10 point systolic can make me lightheaded or faint. It definitely makes me nauseous. Now I am uncomfortably warm in the OR and feel slightly ill.

I’ve had a scrub tech have to leave the field because they got too hot.

They went out of the room, threw up, had something to drink, and came back.

And don’t get me started on tempers. The tempers of the surgeons, or the team.

There is a reason that the word temper is within temperature.

The change has been made because it is safer for the patient is the explanation.

Well, if the blanket and hat technology that we have were used appropriately the patient would be warm at 66-68 and you wouldn’t have tempers flaring as the heat rose.

After 18 months in a nursing research PhD program, I know a little bit about research. There has been no change in the data that is out. So why the sudden change in the low number of the OR temperature? I want to see the data they are basing this change on.

I will be reading the latest guidelines when they are released shortly and also the journals. Trying to find a clue.

We are perspiring to know.